There are many different means for cable systems monitoring in the world. The main purpose of the systems is to identify each of two parts of a detachable connection, for example, to identify the patch cord plug that is connected to the specific port of the patch panel.
For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,784,802 (31 Aug. 2004) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,170,393 (30 Jan. 2007) disclose the similar system based on RFID. Plugs of patch cords are provided with RFID tags. The first invention mentioned above uses antennas (sensors) of an RFID interrogator to read of the RFID tags. The antennas are mounted at every port of the patch panel. The second invention uses the grid of antennas connected to an RFID interrogator.
All two invention mentioned above require considerable alteration of patch panels. Every port of a patch panel has to be provided additionally with at least one antenna of RFID interrogator.